As we reflect again on the coming of the Christ Child into our world and the changes He brings to our lives, let's look at Schwenckfeld's thoughts on the Christian life:

"A true Christian life in its essential requirements does not consist in external appearance, nor in any sort of sham, nor in human enactments, nor in trust upon one's own works. Such a life is not bound to place, time, vestment, person, meats and similarly purely formal matter. Quite the contrary, it consists in the individual trust in God, through the experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ, which the Holy Spirit brings forth in our hearts from the hearing of the divine word."

Schwenckfeld goes on to say, "My purpose is to praise Christ and to make Him known to everyone, as the Lord has granted, to point everyone to Him in Heaven as the only teacher of the mysteries of God."

This season of Christ's birth, may we all strive to praise Him for all that He has done for us and work to make Him known to everyone.